Pohangina Exploration on Inner Tubes

Duncan runs a nice drop

On 23 December 2007, Duncan McEwan of Victoria University Canoe Club and myself ventured Northward to find out the nature of the Pohangina River in the Gorge where it flows from the Ruahine Ranges, with the view to kayaking it at a later date. It has been paddled several times before at high flows and is a very serious grade 5+ run (on a grading system of 1 - 6 where 6 is hardest).

 

We walked up the Gorge track carrying truck tubes and wetsuit gear until we came to Centre Creek, about 1.5km up the gorge. This track was steep and exposed in places and would be difficult to carry kayaks along. According to a local, resident near the start of the track, the river was fairly low. However, there was just enough water to tube down, and also enough to kayak down.

 

From Centre Creek, we walked upstream a couple of hundred metres to see very steep rapids filtering between huge boulders. At this low flow, these were not really navigable. With more water they would become very challenging. We kitted up into wetsuits, boots and helmets and proceeded to float off downstream. We dropped over several 1m drops, falling off our tubes a number of times and continually bouncing off boulders. Soon, we came to a short, narrow bedrock gorge with a

Timon runs a small drop

very steep rapid leading into it. We clambered around the first part of it because it was too dangerous to tackle. However, we attempted the next part and both fell off in the first steep twisting drop and swam the rest of the rapid, which was a bit bumpy. Duncan munched his fingernail on a rock. Below here were several more very steep rapids. One in particular I climbed out ahead of Duncan to inspect. It looked ok, so I beckoned Duncan down it. He capsized in the final drop and began to recirculate in the unpleasant little pool below. I lent him a leg to grab. He was subsequently less trusting of my judgement.

 

Shortly after this, the valley opened up for a distance before entering another very short, but less intense gorge, immediately after which we climbed up the very steep track to the road and dry clothes.

 

Walking a three metre waterfall

It was a great trip and we are keen to go back and paddle the section in kayaks, even at this supposed low flow (which I would estimate as being about 4m3/s). The gorge was ruggedly beautiful, and the river was similar in nature to those on the South Island West Coast.

 

Incidently, Google Earth shows this section of river very clearly. It is also clear that there are rapids just as serious upstream for another couple of kilometres, so if you were prepared to grovel up the track, you would likely be well rewarded.